CHENANGO COUNTY – The Label Gallery has always encouraged its employees to take an active role in their community, so when one employee suggested that the business should take on the task of collecting toys for the Toys for Tots campaign, the company ran with it.
For the last eight years, The Label Gallery, located on Lee Ave. in Norwich, has been in charge of organizing toy drop off locations and collecting the gifts that Catholic Charities’ Roots and Wings distributes to needy families in the area.
Chris Ulatowski, owner of The Label Gallery, said employee Dennis Rifanburg was the driving force behind the company’s involvement in the annual campaign. “We started by just placing boxes at local merchants and banks, but as the need grew, we started doing events. We try to do something different every year,” Ulatowski said.
In addition to the drop off boxes, which have been placed at a number of local retailers, banks and other businesses, The Label Gallery has participated in events like the Norwich Parade of Lights and the Sherburne Holiday Parade in order to reach more people and collect more presents. In addition, this year The Label Gallery is participating in a pizza night promotion. The promotion, which many area pizza shops are participating in, will give customers 10 percent off a purchase of $20 or more when they bring in a new unwrapped gift for Toys for Tots. The event will take place on Friday.
Other area Toys for Tots events include three concerts to benefit the campaign. Concerts will be held from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 19 at the Sake Club in Oneonta, on Saturday, Dec. 20 at the Downtown Quarterback in Endicott and from 2 to 10 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 21 at the Chenango Valley Ranch. The Oneonta and Endicott shows are for those 18 and over only.
So far, Ulatowski said, donations for the year seem to be higher than in past years. The organization is seeing an increase due to their partnership with the national Toys for Tots campaign. With the help of the national campaign, Ulatowski said toy deliveries are coming in freqently, however there is still a need for toy donations locally. “All of the toys collected here, stay in the community,” Ulatowski said. “The toys aren’t leaving the community, but additional toys are coming in.”
Toys are collected for children from infancy through age 12. The majority of the toys collected are for the younger children. Ulatowski said gifts for children from age 8 to 12 are always needed. Batteries for toys requiring them are also often needed.
Toys for Tots bins are located throughout the county. Donations of new unwrapped toys and books are accepted. Individuals can also make cash donations to Toys for Tots. Checks made out to Toys for Tots can be sent directly to The Label Gallery, 1-11 Lee Ave., Norwich, NY 13815.
“It’s important to donate to Toys for Tots,” Ulatowski said. The business owner said anyone interesting in having a Toys for Tots bin placed at their place of business should call The Label Gallery at 334-3244. Toys are picked up from the bins every week. The last pick up date will be on Wednesday, Dec. 17. Anyone who would like information about receiving gifts from Toys for Tots should call Roots and Wings at 336-7897.
Ulatowski said he wants to thank the community for all of their support. “It’s so nice that this communities thinks of others in the community during the holidays. It makes me proud to be a part of Chenango County,” he said.
Toys for Tots Dropoff locations
